Why I Teach

This has definitely been one of the most difficult years I've had. Juggling two kids and an extremely labor-intensive, emotional job definitely took it's toll.

My decision to take little time away from teaching at first, was an easy one. But when the time came to say by goodbyes...to students, co-workers and parents, it turned out to be a lot more difficult than I imagined.

There is no doubt I plan to return to the profession as soon as it makes sense for our family. It's cards and letters like the one here that makes me never doubt my decision to enter one of the coolest professions ever.

The card below is from the family of a student I met my very first day as a special ed teacher. This "young man" (3rd grader at the time), growled, screamed and threw chairs at me (several times!!) and would never look me in the eye except maybe to tell me how stupid I was. Last Thursday night, I watched him walk on stage and receive the President's Award for Academic Excellence. He walked off the stage with tears in his eyes and gave me a huge hug....and then apologized for throwing chairs at me. The next day I received this card from his family. Click on it to read. It was definitely a good thing I wore waterproof mascara when I read it!

Student Teaching...Almost Done!!!

My slave labor stint (AKA: student teaching) is coming to an end. This Friday, August 1st will mark my last day of working for free and I join the ranks of the gainfully employed on August 14th. It has been a summer of ups and downs. After all, who can truly enjoy going to work everyday and not getting paid when it's 80 degrees and sunny and your kid is stuck at daycare instead of frolicking in the pool with you!! But we've all survived, with only a few battle scars. On a better note, I will come out of this experience with not one, but TWO California Teaching Credentials. One is already in the mail. The other will be completed after I write a 30 page "dissertation," as I call it, analyzing every aspect and teaching including a video tape of my own teaching. Talk about exciting. All of this is nearing the final stages and after next week, I don't have to set foot in a college classroom for a good six months.

Above is a picture of the 4th grade class where I am currently working/slaving. For the most part, they are good kids, but quite different than the students at my "real" school, Matthew Turner Elementary. Although I could use a "real" summer vacation and two more months of lounging at the pool, I am excited to go back to Turner. I'm glad I listened to everyone who told me I should just get this student teaching with over now and not wait....fantastic advice :-)